1998 WMHB Atlantic hurricane season
The 1998 Atlantic hurricane season was an active and destructive season that ran from June 1 to November 30. The season's first system, a subtropical storm, developed on June 2, while the season's last system, Tropical Storm Otto, developed on November 10. The season resumed the period of activity that was temporarily stopped in the 1997 season due to an El Nino. The 1998 season's activity was mostly due to a weak La Nina, which developed towards the end of the season, increasing activity in the peak and late months of the season. The strongest and most destructive storm was Hurricane Nicole, a Category 5 hurricane which caused severe damage in the Leeward Islands and Florida. Nicole was also the costliest Atlantic hurricane at the time, but it was later surpassed by multiple storms in the hyperactive 2004 season, which used the same naming list. Hurricane Jeanne was the season's deadliest storm, causing 179 fatalities in the Yucatan Peninsula, as well as causing considerable damage in Belize. Seasonal Summary ImageSize = width:800 height:240 PlotArea = top:10 bottom:80 right:20 left:20 Legend = columns:3 left:30 top:58 columnwidth:270 AlignBars = early DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy Period = from:01/06/1998 till:01/12/1998 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal ScaleMinor = grid:black unit:month increment:1 start:01/07/1998 Colors = id:canvas value:gray(0.88) id:GP value:red id:TD value:rgb(0.38,0.73,1) legend:Tropical_Depression_=_<39_mph_(0–62_km/h)_(TD) id:TS value:rgb(0,0.98,0.96) legend:Tropical_Storm_=_39–73_mph_(63–117 km/h)_(TS) id:C1 value:rgb(1,1,0.80) legend:Category_1_=_74–95_mph_(119–153_km/h)_(C1) id:C2 value:rgb(1,0.91,0.46) legend:Category_2_=_96-110_mph_(154-177_km/h) id:C3 value:rgb(1,0.76,0.25) legend:Category_3_=_111-130_mph_(178-209-km/h) id:C4 value:rgb(1,0.56,0.13) legend:Category_4_=_131-155_mph_(210-249_km/h) id:C5 value:rgb(1,0.38,0.38) legend:Category_5_=_>=156_mph_(>=250_km/h) Backgroundcolors = canvas:canvas BarData = barset:Hurricane bar:Month PlotData= barset:Hurricane width:11 align:left fontsize:S shift:(4,-4) anchor:till from:02/06/1998 till:03/06/1998 color:TS text:"One (SS)" from:20/06/1998 till:24/06/1998 color:TS text:"Andrew (TS)" from:08/07/1998 till:13/07/1998 color:C1 text:"Bonnie (C1)" from:22/07/1998 till:27/07/1998 color:TS text:"Charley (TS)" from:03/08/1998 till:09/08/1998 color:C2 text:"Danielle (C2)" from:11/08/1998 till:23/08/1998 color:C4 text:"Ethan (C4)" barset:break from:16/08/1998 till:17/08/1998 color:TD text:"Six (TD)" from:21/08/1998 till:24/08/1998 color:TS text:"Fiona (TS)" from:29/08/1998 till:08/09/1998 color:C2 text:"Gaston (C2)" from:02/09/1998 till:06/09/1998 color:TS text:"Hermine (TS)" from:03/09/1998 till:09/09/1998 color:TS text:"Ivan (TS)" from:12/09/1998 till:21/09/1998 color:C3 text:"Jeanne (C3)" barset:break from:15/09/1998 till:21/09/1998 color:TS text:"Karl (TS)" from:20/09/1998 till:26/09/1998 color:C1 text:"Lisa (C1)" from:30/09/1998 till:03/10/1998 color:TS text:"Mitch (TS)" from:11/10/1998 till:23/10/1998 color:C5 text:"Nicole (C5)" from:07/11/1998 till:10/11/1998 color:TS text:"Otto (TS)" bar:Month width:5 align:center fontsize:S shift:(0,-20) anchor:middle color:canvas from:01/06/1998 till:01/07/1998 text:June from:01/07/1998 till:01/08/1998 text:July from:01/08/1998 till:01/09/1998 text:August from:01/09/1998 till:01/10/1998 text:September from:01/10/1998 till:01/11/1998 text:October from:01/11/1998 till:01/12/1998 text:November TextData = pos:(570,30) text:"(From the" pos:(617,30) text:"Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale)" Systems Subtropical Storm One In late May, a cluster of thunderstorms developed over eastern Alabama. The storms drifted southeast into the Atlantic Ocean, where a shortwave trough approaching from the south brought the system to the north. While off the coast of North Carolina, convection increased around a small center of circulation. On June 2, the system showed characteristics of a subtropical cyclone, and the NHC classified it as Subtropical Storm One. The subtropical storm moved swiftly northeast, paralleling the east coast of the United States. the storm reached its peak intensity off the coast of Maryland on June 3, and shortly afterward became extratropical. Tropical Storm Andrew An area of low pressure believed to have been associated with a tropical wave began to strengthen on June 18 as convection increased in the system's core. On June 20, the NHC classified the low as Tropical Depression One while off the Floridan coast. Initially, the depression tracked northwest towards South Carolina. Interaction with a frontal trough caused the depression to lose some tropical characteristics, but also increased the depression's strength. While displaying tropical and subtropical characteristics, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Andrew. Andrew turned away from the Carolinas as it tracked northeast, causing high surf and rip currents along the Outer Banks and Delmarva Peninsula. Andrew reached peak intensity off the coast of North Carolina on June 22, and it began to weaken shortly afterwards. On June 24, Andrew became a post-tropical cyclone as it was absorbed by a frontal trough over the northern Atlantic. Hurricane Bonnie A vigorous tropical wave left the coast of Africa in early July. Initially, wind shear did not allow development of the wave, but on July 7 the wave split in two. The northern portion of the wave quickly developed into a tropical depression on July 8. Due to its small size, the depression was able to rapidly develop into Tropical Storm Bonnie while north of Puerto Rico. Bonnie entered an area of ocean more favorable for development on July 10. Because of its compact nature, Bonnie rapidly intensified into a hurricane later that day. At peak intensity, Bonnie was a very small hurricane, with its circulation being only 40 miles wide. This was, at the time, the record for the smallest Atlantic tropical cyclone, a record not surpassed for 18 years until Tropical Storm Lisa in 2016. As it continued to track northwest, Bonnie held hurricane strength for another 2 days, until it began to rapidly weaken late on July 12. By morning the next day, Bonnie had weakened to a tropical storm, and then into a remnant low later that day. Tropical Storm Charley On July 20, a tropical wave left the coast of Africa. Under favorable conditions presented by an absence of strong wind shear, the wave rapidly developed into a tropical depression on July 22 while west of Cape Verde. The depression tracked westwards as it gradually strengthened. By July 23, the depression had intensified into a tropical storm, receiving the name Charley. The storm continued west-northwest towards the Leeward Islands, reaching winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) on July 24, and shortly afterward it made landfall in Barbuda, bringing heavy rainfall to the island but causing minimal damage. Charley continued northwest after landfall, gradually weakening into a minimal tropical storm on July 25. Charley then weakened to a tropical depression and persisted as a named system for another 36 hours before degenerating to a remnant low on July 27. Hurricane Danielle A tropical wave entered the Caribbean Sea on August 1. Conditions remained only marginally favorable for development as the wave tracked through the Caribbean Sea. Howver, the wave began to organize despite the conditions, becoming Tropical Depression Four on August 3. Conditions gradually became more favorable for development as the depression tracked northwest into the Yucatan Channel. On August 5, the NHC classified the depression as Tropical Storm Danielle after a Hurricane Hunters aircraft flew into the developing system. Danielle continued a slow northwesterly track as it passed over the Yucatan Peninsula on August 6. Despite weakening over land, Danielle remained a tropical storm as it entered the Bay of Campeche and began to steadily intensify. Danielle unexpectedly strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane late on August 7 while heading west towards Veracruz. Just before landfall on August 8, Danielle strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane, peaking at 100 mph (155 km/h). Rough seas caused by Danielle were reported to have reached 57 feet in wave height, and heavy rainfall from the storm's broad rainbands caused flooding and landslides in Mexico. The storm caused $700 million (1998 USD) in damages and 2 fatalities before rapidly weakening over land. The storm's remnants crossed over into the Eastern Pacific as Tropical Depression Seven-E. Hurricane Ethan A tropical wave exited the coast of Africa on August 6. The wave steadily tracked westward and remained disorganized like those that spawned hurricanes Bonnie and Danielle, but upon approaching the Leeward Islands an anticyclone developed over the system, and it began to rapidly develop. The wave was classified as Tropical Depression Five on August 11 while around 850 miles east-southeast of Antigua. Tracking west-northwestwards, the depression strengthened gradually and steadily, and was upgraded to Tropical Storm Ethan on August 12. As it continued northwest, Ethan's wind field grew in size as it steadily strengthened and passed over the Leeward Islands. On August 14, Ethan strengthened into a hurricane while passing over the British Virgin Islands. The large hurricane began to rapidly intensify soon after, and due to its large size caused flooding and mudslides in Hispaniola as its outer rainbands reached the islands. By early on August 16, Ethan had strengthened into a 120 mph (210 km/h) Category 3 hurricane, becoming the season's first major hurricane. Later that day, Ethan strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane, measuring nearly 600 miles in diameter. Ethan continued to grow in size and intensity as it reached peak intensity with winds of 145 mph (230 km/h). Despite remaining offshore the United States East Coast, heavy rainfall and gale-force winds affected the coast from Florida to North Carolina due to Ethan's very large size. Over the 4 days, Ethan tracked up the eastern shoreboard as a powerful hurricane before weakening to a tropical storm off the coast of New Jersey late on August 20. Ethan curved out to sea and began to undergo an extratropical transition. Finally, on August 23, Ethan completed its transition to a large and intense extratropical cyclone while 120 miles south of Nova Scotia. Tropical Storm Fiona On August 19, an area of low pressure formed over the southwestern Caribbean Sea. The low drifted slowly northward and quickly strengthened. The NHC classified the low as Tropical Depression Seven on August 21 and shortly thereafter the depression began to produce gale-force winds. At 20:00 UTC, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Fiona and approached Nicaragua, making landfall on August 22. Fiona weakened to a tropical depression as it made landfall, but restrengthened upon moving back over water. Fiona was a short-lived storm, peaking at 40 mph (65 km/h) before it began to weaken, albeit rather slowly, on August 23. Fiona continued to move erratically across the Yucatan Channel, persisting as a weak tropical depression until August 24, when the storm interacted with a cold front and became stripped of convection. The storm finally dissipated at 18:00 UTC that day. Hurricane Gaston A tropical wave emerged off the coast of Africa on August 22. Tracking steadily westward, the wave remained disorganized and devoid of convection as it drifted across the Atlantic Ocean. While the wave was located east of the Bahamas on August 28, an anticyclone developed over the wave, increasing outflow. This allowed the wave to organize and strengthen abruptly, and the NHC began issuing advisories on Tropical Depression Eight the following day. The nascent depression strengthened gradually as expected, and on August 30 was upgraded to Tropical Storm Gaston while 200 miles southeast of Eleuthera. Gaston tracked northward in an erratic fashion as it steadily intensified. On September 1 Gaston began to rapidly intensify just hours before reaching hurricane status. A reconnaissance flight on September 2 found Gaston to be nearing Category 2 intensity. The next day while off the coast of Florida, Gaston reached peak intensity with winds of 105 mph (165 km/h), an intensity it would maintain for another 2 days. Gaston came within 30 miles of the coast of South Carolina and nearly made landfall in Myrtle Beach before turning northeast away from the shoreline. On September 4, Gaston weakened to a minimal Category 1 hurricane as it moved over cooler waters off the Delmarva Peninsula. However, the storm strengthened again to reach Category 2 status a second time as it passed northward over the Gulf Stream. Shortly after leaving the warm waters of the Gulf Stream on September 6, Gaston rapidly weakened to a tropical storm before becoming extratropical over cool waters on September 8. Tropical Storm Hermine On September 2, a tropical depression formed from a tropical wave off the coast of Africa. The depression, located in an area conducive for development, began to strengthen, and subsequently became Tropical Storm Hermine on September 3. Tracking northwestwards, Hermine strengthened gradually. By September 4, the storm had strengthened into a strong tropical storm, producing sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h). Hermine entered cooler waters on September 5 and began to weaken, although atmospheric conditions remained favorable. Thus, Hermine maintained its status another day longer before transitioning to a post-tropical cyclone late on September 6. Tropical Storm Ivan A strong tropical wave emerged off the African coast on August 30. Although the wave was positioned in a favorable environment, it remained devoid of convection and thus failed to strengthen. On September 3, a sudden burst in convection around 1,000 miles east of the Lesser Antilles strengthened the wave considerably, and the NHC designated it as Tropical Depression Ten at 15:00 UTC. Amidst favorable conditions, the depression continued to strengthen into Tropical Storm Ivan just 7 hours later. Ivan tracked steadily westward as it continued to strengthen. On September 6, Ivan reached peak intensity as a 70 mph (110 km/h) tropical storm, although it is possible that the storm was actually briefly a Category 1 hurricane. However, it was not upgraded in post-season analysis as data was insufficient for the time of Ivan's peak. That afternoon, Ivan made landfall in Tobago at peak intensity, causing heavy rains across the island that caused $50,000 (1998 USD) in damages and 7 fatalities. Strong winds and rain also had an impact in the Grenadines as Ivan entered the Caribbean Sea. Ivan remained in the open Caribbean Sea for another 3 days before weakening and then degenerating to an open tropical wave on September 9. Hurricane Jeanne A tropical wave was moving across the Atlantic in early September. The wave struggled with light wind shear and did not develop initially. Upon reaching the Caribbean Sea, the wave gradually organized, becoming a tropical depression on September 12 while over the western Caribbean Sea. Slowly tracking westwards, the depression strengthened further under warm water conditions and a favorable atmospheric environment. At 12:00 UTC on September 13, the NHC reclassified the depression as Tropical Storm Jeanne. A very slow-moving storm, Jeanne strengthened quickly due to its initially small size and slow movement. Over the next few days, Jeanne's appearance improved as it grew larger and rapidly intensified. By September 15, Jeanne had intensified into a Category 2 hurricane as it approached the Yucatan Peninsula. For the next day, Jeanne stalled just off the coast of Belize as it intensified into a Category 3 hurricane. On September 17, Jeanne made landfall in Belize at peak intensity. The hurricane proved costly and deadly, with at least $900 million in damages and 179 deaths being attributed to the storm, which caused severe flooding and mudslides in Mexico and Belize. The storm continued to dump heavy rains over the Yucatan Peninsula even as it weakened. By September 19, Jeanne had weakened to a tropical depression as it briefly moved offshore into the Bay of Campeche before moving back over land and dissipating on September 21. Tropical Storm Karl On September 15, a tropical depression developed from a stationary trough over the central Atlantic Ocean. Tracking northward, an anticyclone developed over the system and allowed it to strengthen despite the depression being located over cool waters. On September 16, the NHC upgraded the depression to Tropical Storm Karl as it tracked slowly northward. Unusually, Karl continued to strengthen despite being located over cool ocean waters. Karl completed a cyclonic loop as it reached peak intensity, nearly reaching hurricane strength with winds of 70 mph (110 km/h). Karl continued a southeasterly track before curving to the northeast on September 19. By then, Karl had moved into cold waters and began to rapidly weaken. On September 21, Karl became post-tropical over the cold waters of the north Atlantic. Its remnants were absorbed by a cold front that later evolved into a powerful European windstorm. Hurricane Lisa A tropical wave left the coast of Africa in mid-September. Due to favorable conditions presented by warm ocean waters and a lack of vertical wind shear, the wave quickly organized into Tropical Depression Thirteen on September 20. Shortly afterwards, the depression strengthened further and became Tropical Storm Lisa. Over the next few days, Lisa continued to steadily strengthen within a favorable enviornment. As it approached the Leeward Islands on September 23, Lisa strengthened into a hurricane and peaked with winds of 80 mph (130 km/h). Lisa narrowly avoided landfall in the Leeward Islands, but due to curving back out to sea entered a less favorable environment. Furthermore, Lisa interacted with a strong trough as it turned away from land, causing it to weaken considerably. By September 25, Lisa had weakened back to a minimal tropical storm as it swiftly tracked north towards Bermuda. Finally, on September 26, Lisa degenerated to a post-tropical remnant low as it raced past the island of Bermuda. Tropical Storm Mitch A tropical wave exited the coast of Africa on September 27. Tracking westward, the wave failed to organize due to strong vertical wind shear. However, as wind shear became weaker on September 29, the wave began to steadily organize as it approached the Lesser Antilles. On September 30, it was upgraded to Tropical Depression Fourteen while 700 miles east of Trinidad. As it continued a westerly track, the nascent depression strengthened, and the NHC upgraded it to Tropical Storm Mitch later that day. On October 2, the unusually slow-moving storm reached Trinidad, causing heavy rain and some flooding but generally minimal damage. Unusually, Mitch dipped to the south as it hugged the coast of South America. As expected, Mitch weakened, but continued to dump heavy rain over Venezuela, triggering mudslides that caused 2 fatalities. Mitch weakened to a tropical depression on October 3 before rapidly dissipating later that day. Hurricane Nicole On October 8, a tropical wave moved off the African coast. Conditions remained very favorable with unusually warm water temperatures for the time of year. On October 11, the wave was designated as Tropical Depression Fifteen as it tracked west-northwest across the Atlantic Ocean. On October 12, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Nicole and began to track more to the west. Nicole stayed a minimal tropical storm for a short time, as it began to rapidly strengthen just hours after being named. On October 14, Nicole strengthened into a hurricane and began to rapidly intensify as it approached the Leeward Islands. By afternoon on October 14, Nicole had strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane. Early the next day Nicole made landfall in Antigua as a Category 4 hurricane. Damage was catastrophic, with reporters claiming that "80% of the island has been destroyed". Nicole continued to wreak havoc in the Caribbean as it tore through the Virgin Islands. Late on October 16, Puerto Rico received a devastating blow from the powerful storm, resulting in $20 billion (1998 USD) in damages being caused and 42 fatalities being reported. The hurricane turned northwest as it headed out to sea, leaving the Caribbean Islands devastated. On October 17, Nicole strengthened into a Category 5 hurricane and reached peak intensity with winds of 165 mph (270 km/h). However, Nicole's peak was short-lived, as it weakened back to Category 4 status 8 hours later. Nicole continued northward as a powerful hurricane, but weakened below major hurricane status on October 19 as it entered increasingly cooler waters. Nicole headed back out to sea as it turned northeast and continued to weaken. Finally, on October 22, Nicole weakened to a tropical storm before transitioning to a post-tropical cyclone while east of Newfoundland on October 23. Tropical Storm Otto A trough persisted over the Gulf of Mexico in the first week of November. A tropical disturbance moved into the area on November 5 and merged with the trough, creating a widespread area of disorganized cloudiness. On November 7, the disturbance condensed and rapidly organized into a tropical depression while located 300 miles southeast of Houston, TX. Tracking very slowly northward, the depression steadily strengtened, and on November 8 was upgraded to Tropical Storm Otto as it remained nearly stationary over the Gulf of Mexico. Moving very slowly, Otto drew strength from moist air unusual for the time of year. On November 9, Otto made landfall along the Texas-Louisiana border. Record-breaking rainfall was observed in Beaumont, TX, where 39 inches of rain fell within a 10-hour period. As it moved further inland, Otto rapidly weakened into a tropical depression and persisted for another day. Otto continued to dump heavy rain over the southern states before transitioning to a post-tropical cyclone over Arkansas on November 10. Otto's impacts were relatively minimal at $700,000 in damages from the storm. Storm Names Below is a list of names used for systems that reached at least tropical storm intensity during the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season. Storms were named Ethan, Fiona, Gaston, Mitch, Nicole, and Otto for the first time in 1998. This list is the same that was used in the 1992 season, with the exceptions of Ethan, Gaston, and Fiona, which replaced Earl, Georges, and Frances. Retirement In the spring of 1999 at its annual meeting, the World Meteorological Association retired the names Jeanne and Nicole from its rotating name lists. They were replaced by Julia and Nevaeh in the 2004 season. Category:Past Hurricane Seasons Category:WMHB Seasons (Cooper) Category:What-might-have-been seasons